Waiting on the Sidelines (Waiting on the Sidelines #1)(17)
“No, I mean that,” she said, gesturing to Reed and Tatum, now fully enveloped in one another across the lot.
“Oh,” I said, turning my head down and knocking the heals of my shoes together like Dorothy from Oz. Sienna smiled at my subtle joke. “Yeah, that kinda sucks. Kinda… a lot,” I admitted.
“I know,” she said, tilting her water to me again for another half-hearted ‘Cheers.’
The party dragged for Sienna and I, as hours passed and teenagers drank more and more. We started making bets on who was going to get sick or stumble first. I was thrilled when I won a dollar after Tatum tripped over her own feet on her way to the cooler. It didn’t console me much when she slung her arms around Reed’s neck, though.
Things were starting to wind down and a few of the pickup trucks were leaving a trail of dust against the night sky as they pulled out from our desert lot. No one was in any shape to drive, I thought.
Sienna and I stood in the middle of the lot, just behind Calley’s car. She was definitely not driving. Sarah wasn’t as wasted, but she was only 15 and still not in any condition to drive. And Sienna and I, well, we were rule followers.
Devin, Cole and Sean came stumbling over, a few junior cheerleaders with them. “Hey, ladies,” Cole slurred. “We’re kickin’ it at Reed’s, you wanna come?”
Knowing I didn’t have a choice, we started walking along the wash with them. Reed was leading the way, carrying Tatum piggyback, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. My stomach felt as if I had just dropped in an elevator and my head felt light. I thought I was maybe going to pass out, but I had Sienna with me to keep me standing. I felt her throw her arm over my shoulder, I think sensing that I needed to be grounded a bit.
Reed was right, his dad’s house was close. We walked for maybe 20 or 30 minutes and made our way to the back of his father’s property. Reed flipped open a gate and the dozen or so of us following him came streaming through his back yard. He slid open the back glass door and we all followed inside. Some of the guys just fell flat on the floor and the girls all lay on the couch. Sienna and I found two lounge chairs over by the fireplace and curled our feet up. I was trying to make myself small. Invisible.
Reed was the last to walk through the main room, flipping the light off. He looked over at me with a goofy grin, and with a bit of a slur said “g’night, Noles.” Then he grabbed Tatum’s hand and led her upstairs.
I felt like a pet and I wanted to run away. But it was three in the morning, and I was too many desert miles away from home. I felt Sienna hand me a blanket, and I grabbed it tightly. She patted my arm knowingly and then snuggled in to fall asleep. I pulled the blanket over my entire body and let my eyes fill up with water. I willed myself not to sob, but I sat there, on the verge, for the next several hours.
I was trying to convince Sarah and Calley to wake up to drive me home when the front door burst open and the sound of suitcases rolling filled the foyer. The hung-over teenagers in the living room all started to stir at the noise. I rounded the corner to see who was at the door and ran right into Buck Johnson.
“Oh, hey there, girly,” he said, with a hint of Southern charm. “You must be one of Reed’s friends?”
“Uh, oh… yeah, I’m so sorry. I’m Nolan. Reed let a few of us stay over because the football celebration lasted so long last night,” I was vague, not sure how much information he knew or cared to know.
“Nolan, I’ve heard about you. Great name, kid!” he said, giving me a bit of a punch on the shoulder. I understood the charm of the best salesman in the business instantly. “Hell of a game last night, huh? I came in from meetings in Tucson for it and had to get back for a breakfast meeting this morning, but it was worth the drive. My boy’s something special,” he beamed.
I heard steps coming down the stairs and soon Reed was standing behind me. “Hey pops,” he said with a wave. “You just get in?”
“Sure did, you wanna roll these bags upstairs for me?” he said, handing over a big garment bag.
“Yep,” Reed said, smiling. He was turning to say something to me when I turned quickly as if I didn’t notice. I wasn’t ready to make eye contact with him. Thankfully Calley and Sarah were walking up with their purses and Calley had her keys dangling from her finger.
“Hey, Nolan. Cole’s going to give us a lift back to my car, you ready?” she asked.
“Sounds good,” I said. Then, not fully turning to Reed, I half thanked him for letting us stay over last night.
“Uh yeah, anytime,” he said, finally turning his attention to moving his father’s bags upstairs.
I didn’t talk much during the ride to Calley’s car or the ride back to my house. I had never been happier to see the wrap-around porch my dad built in my life. I climbed the steps and plopped down on one of the porch chairs next to my dad.
“Have a good time, kiddo?” he asked.
“Sure did,” I lied.
6. Without
I decided that I wouldn’t be attending any more desert parties after the football games this year. Even without my unhealthy crush on the quarterback, I didn’t really enjoy the drunk mingling in the 90-degree desert. And as the fall stretched on, the parties happened less and less as winter settled in and the football season became more and more serious. I wasn’t anti-social, by any means. I just didn’t let my imagination get carried away.